Robert Payne

The basic premise of Gasparilla is really quite simple. Close off two adjoining streets, parade a bunch of pirates down one of them, and invite people to come out and party on the other one. Sounds easy enough, but the reality is Gasparilla is a logistical bear that Tampa Bay has been trying to [...]

If you ever feel like what you’re doing won’t last or be remembered, think about a chalk artist. These folks spent 2 days working on their masterpieces, not for money, but because they love doing it. The key is to blend both. I think the top guy in the picture within the [...]

When I moved to Tampa, Florida someone told me there were occasionally waves big enough to surf in the Gulf. I figured I’d believe them when I saw proof. Moving from California and the Left Coast, one gets a slightly different idea of what constitutes a ride-able wave. But lo and behold, one day [...]

There are few things in life better than an early morning surf session.

A dog is a dog, and a bad one isn’t worth spit; but you get a good one and they’re like a member of the family.
About a year ago I lost one of the best dogs a person could ever have. He died of cancer on my birthday during a trip to the North [...]

Now that I am a father, I consider what my child eats each and every day. My thoughts often turn to food production, and the place I currently call home.
Phosphate and the Port of Tampa
Many people do not know that Tampa is the largest port in Florida and the 10th largest in the nation. [...]

Went bowling last night at Pin Chasers with my wife’s team from work. Should have brought my tow luggage and techie wrist guard. But the cheesy fries and buckets of Miller Lite had me feeling like a pro.
Something about old school Photoshop techniques felt appropriate for this.

A photo I took of my son that I wanted to give an old comic book feel to.

Any avid surfer would agree there is no such thing as having too many surfboards. Different lengths, widths, rails, tails, fin configurations, and composites are all factors that affect the way we ride and can be adjusted depending on the particular wave conditions. It doesn’t matter how big of a shredder you are, there are [...]

Cigars are about as synonymous with Tampa as gambling is with Las Vegas. Guilty pleasures that cost money, and you can lose big when you play with them. I’m not so much of a gambler or a smoker, but despite the risks I do occasionally like to puff on a good old stogie.
I [...]